Issue - decisions

Revenue Grants 2020/21

28/01/2020 - Revenue Grants 2020/21

The Executive was informed that the Council funded a number of voluntary organisations which either worked in partnership with the Council or performed functions on the Council’s behalf.

 

Members were reminded that, in January 2019, it had been agreed that a full review of the Revenue Grant scheme would be undertaken during the year, to review whether grants were being made at the correct levels, to the right organisations, and the value for money the revenue grants realised.  At the Executive meeting on the 11 September 2019 a revised scheme had been agreed, to be introduced from 1April 2020.

 

The Executive considered the grants sought by the organisations which had applied for Revenue Grants for 2020/21, the relevant supporting information concerning those organisations, and the amounts it was proposed to award.

It was noted that the proposed awards would result in an increase to the budget for 2020/21.

 

Members were advised that it was proposed to defer and delegate the decisions on applications from Tringhams and Camberley Central Job Club. It was also proposed to defer the application from Mustard Seed Trust for one year as the Scheme was currently closed to new referrals, and divert a further applicant, Camfest, to the Surrey Heath Lottery Fund.

 

Service level agreements had been introduced in 2013 to enable the Council to set out targets and outcomes to be achieved throughout the year. The agreements were used to monitor the performance of organisations throughout the year. Grant payments were only made after a successful monitoring report was received.

 

It was reported that the review had introduced ring fencing to 3 organisations who worked with the Council: Citizens Advice Surrey Heath, Blackwater Valley Partnership and the Basingstoke Canal Authority. 

 

RESOLVED that

 

(i)        Revenue Grants for 2020/21 be awarded to

 

a.    Surrey Heath Citizens Advice (CASH) – £80,000;

b.   Voluntary Support North Surrey - £30,000;

c.    Surrey Heath Age Concern - £10,000;

d.   Catalyst Support - £4,000;

e.    The Autism Trust - £10,000;

f.     The Hope Hub - £17,000;

g.   VSNS - £10,000;

h.   Basingstoke Canal Authority - £10,000;

i.     Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership - £10,000;

j.     Surrey Heath Sports Council - £3,500;

k.    Surrey Heath Arts Council - £1,500;

 

(ii)      the other in-kind benefits provided to organisations be noted;

 

(iii)     all grants be subject to Service Level Agreements;

 

(iv)     no Revenue Grant be awarded to Camfest in 2020/21 but the organisation be advised to apply to the Lottery Fund;

 

(v)      the application by Mustard Seed Autism Trust be deferred for a year;

 

(vi)     decisions on awarding of grants to Tringhams and Camberley Central Job Club be delegated to the Executive Head of Transformation in consultation with the Safeguarding & Support Portfolio Holder.

 

Note 1: In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, the following declarations were made:

 

(i)        Councillor Rodney Bates declared a pecuniary interest as he had been employed by Camberley Central Job Club; he also declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a Trustee of Old Dean Community Group, which had been provided with staffing by Voluntary Support North Surrey, and declared for the record that a family member worked for Catalyst;

 

(ii)       Councillor Paul Deach declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a County Council representative on Basingstoke Canal Management Board;

 

(iii)      It was noted for the record that Councillor Alan McClafferty declared that his wife was the chair of Trustees for Surrey Heath Age Concern.